Organization Vitruvian Planning, Eagle (Idaho) Parks and Recreation Department
With funding from St. Luke’s Foundation, Vitruvian Planning and the Eagle (Idaho) Parks and Recreation Department conducted an HIA to understand how the city’s Pathways and Trails Plan might influence the health of area residents.
Recommendations
Focus on areas with the highest socio-economic need for bicycle paths, pedestrian trails, and accessible green spaces when selecting sites for the first projects.
Ensure that future developments include appropriate sidewalks, pathways, easements, and connections to the greater trail network.
Tailor programming such as bike clinics, safety campaigns, horseback rides, and promotional events to the characteristics and health priorities of nearby residents.
Explore the trail system’s potential to improve access to health care, food outlets, community gardens, and healthy housing.
Enhance isolated trail segments by incorporating features such as water stations, shade trees, and sunblock stations and ensure cellphone service for emergency communication.
The Health Impact Project’s toolkit contains resources that help communities, agencies, and other organizations take action to improve public health. The toolkit offers a collection of health impact assessments, guides, and other research to support policymakers’ efforts to consider health when making decisions across sectors, such as housing, planning, and education.
